These two songs are featured on Silver Zipper’s one and only recording. The “A” side is entitled ‘Vacation”, written by T Bone Walker. The “B” side is “I Just Want To Make Love To You”, written by Willie Dixon and first recorded by Muddy Waters. “Love To You” actually received some air-play on Canadian radio stations. It was chosen over the “A” side due to a drastic fade-out in “Vacation” that was done by the engineer at the last minute of production, i.e., after the musicians had left the studio. The version here has the original ending spliced in.
Silver Zipper was formed in April 1978 with Ed Stevens on guitar, Murray Webster also on guitar, Jim Bale on bass, and Al Glover on drums. It was managed by Ihor Todoruk, also known as Ihor Fee Fangian. Silver Zipper’s run was brief and during its short existence, they performed mostly at the Carillon Hotel in Carillon, Québec. Other venues included the Arc in Montreal, the Lakeview Inn in Knowlton, some bar long gone in Rivière Beaudette, and the British Hotel in Aylmer.
Hotel Carillon
The Carillon Hotel, where Silver Zipper made its debut, was originally called Hotel Kelly and was built in 1874 primarily for the loggers who travelled between the upper Ottawa River and the lumber mills near Hawkesbury. In the 1970’s, it was purchased by the Lowe family of Lachute and at the time was primarily a bar, with one tenant on the third floor. The remaining rooms were used by visiting musicians and the bar staff. It was destroyed by fire during renovations in the early 1980’s and the site is now occupied by a casse-croûte.
